🎉Cyber Week Sale: Get 30% Off Everything!
This is one major workplace dilemma. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are employed in the Babylonian civil service. Nebuchadnezzar organises a massive work conference for all his employees. On the agenda is just one thing: they must all express their allegiance to the company by bowing down before his 30-foot high image. And one more thing: those who refuse will be burnt in a furnace.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are faithful to the God of Israel, so they refuse to bow before Nebuchadnezzar’s image. “We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter” (3 v 16). It’s not that they’re indifferent to Nebuchadnezzar’s opinion. They’re respectful to him throughout the story and keep calling him “Your Majesty” (see 3 v 17, 18, 24). They’re not surly workers who slack off at every opportunity or gossip about their boss behind his back. They’ve already proven themselves to be conscientious workers (1 v 7, 18-20).
Nebuchadnezzar’s opinion matters to them—but not as much as God’s opinion. They talk about “the God we serve”. They serve Nebuchadnezzar—but their allegiance to God comes first. So “in this matter”, Nebuchadnezzar’s opinion will always come second.
The fear of other people is a big issue in the workplace. Often it will be fear of our boss. But there might be other co-workers whose approval we crave or whose rejection we fear.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be liked or to win other people’s approval. It’s a strange person who’s indifferent to these things. But the desire for approval and the fear of rejection can very easily control us. And then it’s a problem. Here are some possible symptoms:
The Bible calls this “the fear of man”. It’s solution is simple: the fear of God. Or to put it another way, the more we grasp the majesty, glory, holiness, mercy, love, judgment and beauty of God, the more His opinion will matter to us more than anyone else’s.
This was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s secret. Nebuchadnezzar was a scary man. He became “furious with rage” (3 v 13, 19). He orders the furnace to be made seven times hotter than normal—so hot it roasts the soldiers who carry out the king’s orders to throw the three men in. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego recognise that God is even more terrifying. “What god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” asks Nebuchadnezzar. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego know that the true God can deliver them (3 v 17) and, even if He doesn’t, they would still rather disobey Nebuchadnezzar than the living God (3 v 18).
Jesus says:
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” Luke 12 v 4-5
The answer to the fear of man is the fear of God. Jesus’ logic is stark. The worst any human being can do to you is kill your body. Beyond that, there’s nothing more they can do. But God can send you to an eternal death in hell.
The answer is to put the fear of people in a right perspective. When we fear someone’s rejection, that person looms large in our minds. Their opinion counts for everything. We lose perspective. But when we see the majesty, holiness, glory, love, mercy, power and kindness of God, then we start to regain a proper perspective.
We have God’s approval already in Christ. In Christ God declares us righteous and adopts us into His family.
People might still get upset or angry with us. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing to get fired—and fried (3 v 17-18)! But the anger of others won’t affect us in the same ways when we realise God’s approval is what really matters.
And here’s the lovely thing: we have God’s approval already in Christ. In Christ God declares us righteous and adopts us into His family. Nothing we can do—good or bad—can undo the fact that we are God’s sons and daughters. And nothing people can do to us can change that reality either. Here’s how this works in practice for me. When I realise my behaviour or emotions are being unhelpfully affected by someone’s opinion, I often turn to Psalm 27 v 1:
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
I repeated it over and over again to myself, all the time meditating on what it says. “Who lights up my life? Who offers me salvation? Who is my stronghold? Not this human being whose opinion seems to matter so much to me. No, it’s the Lord. Whom shall I fear? The only person I should fear is God and He is my loving Father.”
A right perspective on God frees us to serve other people better. Without it, we only serve them for what we get out of it—winning their approval or avoiding their rejection. But putting God first frees us to serve other people in love.
This is an extract from Gospel Centred Work, by Tim Chester
Now you've read the article, let us know what you think. Comment below. You can also like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel
Tim Chester is a senior faculty member of Crosslands Training and has written over 40 books. He has a PhD in theology and PgDip in history along with 25 years' experience of pastoral ministry. He is married with two grown-up daughters and lives in rural Derbyshire, where he is part of a church plant.
